You
by Chirichi916
Summary: It was an accident. I hadn't meant to hear them. I just needed some air...


It was an accident of course.  
I didn't mean to hear them.  
I was just out for some air. Relena's parties were always so... stifling.  
Dignitaries.  
Ambassadors.  
Counselors.  
Politicians the lot of them.  
All wanting to shake your hand, tell you what a hero you were. How you'd saved the world. How you'd saved the colonies.  
And behind your back, half of them wanted you dead because of the comrades you'd killed, the other half wanted you dead because they thought you were a crazy ex-terrorist. Some unstable kid who might snap any minute and just start killing people.  
Once a terrorist, always a terrorist.  
Nothing we could do to change their minds. 

Oh, Quatre tried of course, with that angelic face and those baby blues. Heir to his father's company, poster-child for the restoration efforts on L2 and the financial backing for the L5 project.  
Trowa was his constant shadow. Ignored – if only just – because of Quatre's high standing.

Circus boy kept his head low and his eyes sharp, and you couldn't knock his loyalty to his blonde lover. The whole galaxy could suit up in Gundams tomorrow and they'd never touch a hair on Quatre's head. Not on Trowa's watch.

It hadn't been as easy for the rest of us though.  
Wufei, Heero and I had all signed on with the Preventers. Gave us something to do with our "skills". At least that was Une's reasoning. I think they just wanted to make sure a trio of dangerous strays were kept on a leash.

Heero spent most of his time on "Relena detail" and I couldn't find myself a decent partner to take his place.  
To be honest, I was frustrated with the whole damn thing. I never did well on a leash. I couldn't stand the red tape. It'd only been six months and I was already pulling out my hair in frustration. Much more of it and I'd probably go bald.

I guess that's how I found myself standing with my umpteenth glass of champagne, picking imaginary lint off my Preventers issued jacket in the shadows beneath one of the balconies of Sanc Palace.  
I was pretty sure I was going to pitch the thing in the dumpster on my way out of here.

Just pack up and leave.  
Head back to space.  
I already had the ship. All shiny and freshly painted. She'd been a gift from Howard for my "birthday". I just hadn't had the chance to take her out yet. Or even name her.  
To tell you the truth, I missed space. Earth was beautiful, don't get me wrong. But I missed zero gravity. Missed seeing the stars without the haze of Earth's atmosphere getting in the way. Missed the freedom of it all. But I knew if I left...  
There'd be something that I'd miss more.

It was an accident.  
I didn't mean to hear them.  
I was just out for some air.  
The doors of the balcony one over from where I stood blew open like a hurricane had hit them.  
Maybe a hurricane would have been gentler.  
I watched as a fuming Heero Yuy stormed out into the night, Relena clicking after him in her pink heels.  
"Heero!"  
He whirled, his frustration painted across his face in the soft glow of the gentle lights.  
"You've GOT your Peace Relena!" he spat, throwing his arm wide in a gesture at the palace and all its contained dignitaries. His voice was hoarse with barely constrained fury, "You've got your peace and now I want MINE!"  
"Heero! Would you listen to me please! You're an icon, an... an idol. You can't just quit the preventers!"  
"No Relena. I think I can. I can and I do."  
I couldn't help grinning as he shrugged out of the jacket identical to the one still draped over my shoulders, and dropped it off the balcony. It landed with a muffled '_whump'_ on the grass.  
"I quit."  
"You can't quit Heero! You can't just leave! What about me! What about us?"  
"There is no 'us'." he spat, as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth "You may tell Une of my resignation when you return inside if you wish. Goodbye Relena."  
Heero dropped off the balcony, landing with just the flex of his knees despite the good 14 foot drop.  
"Heero!!" Relena screamed as he melted instantly into the shadows and came face to face...

With me... 

We stared wide eyed at each other for a second. Then he grabbed my hand and started to run.  
My feet caught on before my brain did.

In a matter of paces we were matched stride for stride across the shadowed grounds. We hopped the fence. I took the opportunity to relieve myself of my Preventers jacket on the security camera mounted on the gate of our escape.  
I hit the ground a beat after Heero and we were off again. He'd long since dropped my hand, knowing without speaking that I'd follow. But then, I'd already followed Heero Yuy to Hell and back. Words just weren't necessary.

We ran till we were deep in the heart of Sanc City. Only then did Heero seem to slow momentarily. I tugged once on his sleeve and we were off again, dodging through traffic and skirting around pedestrians. I led him towards the hanger where my "birthday" present was docked.

20 minutes later there were sirens blaring and Sanc's Sky Patrol was on our asses as we launched our "unauthorized take-off"  
I grinned at the feel of the controls in my hands, the G-forces of our lift-off, the free-fall feeling and as we cleared Earth's atmosphere and were met with those bright unfiltered stars.

I glanced at Heero.

The lights from the console cast an ethereal glow on the soft sheen of sweat that glistened along his jaw-line and neck. His eyes glistened and danced as he sat grinning next to me. He looked so… free…

He turned to meet my gaze.

Maybe it was the adrenaline still pounding through our systems…

We burst into simultaneous laughter. It started tinged in that giddy nervousness that always accompanies coming down off an adrenaline high, but it morphed quickly into the full, core-trembling laughter that leaves you crying and gasping for air.

"What were you thinking?" I gasped, "I can't believe you told Relena off like that!"

"I can." Heero said, sobering slightly, before his grin returned "Did you see her face? I've never seen her so angry."

I shook my head, my chuckles finally starting to subside. "I could only hear her from where I was standing."

Heero nodded thoughtfully, then met me with a level stare "What _were_ you doing out there?"

I dropped my eyes sheepishly "I didn't mean to. I just… needed some air. It… was an accident."

He nodded and his gaze fell to the console, "I didn't know you had a ship. When did you get this?" he asked, his fingers ghosting over the panel.

"About a month after we signed on with the Preventers. I'd been thinking about taking off since we started… Just needed wings."

"But you've had wings?" Heero met me with a puzzled gaze, "For what, 5 months now?"

"Guess so." I chuckled nervously

"What were you waiting for?"

I stiffened. I could feel Heero's piercing cobalt eyes locked on my face. I sighed and turned to stare out the window.

"You."


End file.
